Why You Shouldn’t Ignore a Sore Throat or Hoarseness
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When you have a cold or the flu, it’s common to have a sore throat, painful swallowing, or a hoarse voice. In fact, those symptoms are common enough that you might be tempted to ignore them — even if they don’t go away after a couple of weeks.
As an otolaryngologist oncologist — a doctor who specializes in treating head and neck cancers — I urge you not to ignore such lingering symptoms. Sometimes you do need to worry about a persistent sore throat or hoarseness. It could be an indication of a serious condition, such as head and neck cancer.
Signs and symptoms
Head and neck cancers are cancers that begin in the sinuses, salivary glands, mouth, tongue, throat, thyroid, and other areas of the head and neck. They often start growing in squamous cells, which are thin, flattened cells found in the outer layer of your skin and inside the mouth, nose, and throat. These cancers are called squamous cell carcinomas. Less often, cancers can start in other types of cells in the head and neck.
Head and neck cancers are not common. Worldwide, they make up only about 4.5% of all cancer diagnoses. And their symptoms are often mild at first, which can make them easy to overlook.
The most common head and neck cancer symptoms I see in my practice are:
- A sore throat that doesn’t go away
- Persistent hoarseness (more than 2 weeks)
- Persistent unilateral earache
- Recurring headaches
- Pain in the face, neck, or upper teeth that doesn’t go away
- Difficulty swallowing
- Weight loss
- Trouble talking or breathing
Other physical signs you might notice include:
- A lump or swelling in your neck, throat, or mouth
- A sore on your mouth or tongue that doesn’t heal
- A red or white spot inside your mouth, or on your tongue or gums
- Frequent nosebleeds
- Bloody saliva or mucus
If you have any of these symptoms, and they don’t improve within a few weeks, see your doctor right away.
Diagnosing head and neck cancers
When a person comes to my office for an evaluation of their symptoms, I start with a physical exam of the head and neck. I look carefully inside the mouth, ears, nose, and throat. I also feel the head and neck area for swelling or lumps.
My patient and I will discuss the symptoms, their severity, and how long they’ve lasted. I’ll also talk with my patient about their medical, family, and social history. The information they give me helps me determine what their risk factors may be for head and neck cancer. These are the top three risk factors I see:
- Using any kind of tobacco, such as cigarettes, cigars, and chewing tobacco
- Consuming alcohol often or heavily
- Exposure to human papillomavirus (HPV), a type of sexually transmitted infection
Other possible causes of head and neck cancer include:
- A history of radiation treatment to the head and neck
- An Epstein-Barr virus infection
- Overexposure to ultraviolet (UV) rays from the sun or tanning beds
If I notice anything out of the ordinary, I order tests that take a deeper look. For example, I might request an imaging test such as a CT scan, PET scan, or MRI. I also may want to remove a small sample of tissue, or a collection of cells. This is called a biopsy. I send the tissue sample to a lab. The lab tests the tissue to find out if any cancerous cells are present.
Treatment options at Fox Chase Cancer Center
At Fox Chase Cancer Center in Philadelphia, I am one of a team of head and neck cancer doctors and support staff. Our team is multidisciplinary. This means our doctors have experience treating all kinds of head and neck tumors — including advanced, complicated cases.
In general, the earlier you receive head and neck cancer treatment, the better your outcome will be.
The type of treatment you need depends on where the tumor is and how far along it is. Typical treatments are surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, or a combination. In addition, our team may use immunotherapy and targeted therapy. These treatments use medicine to find, attack, and destroy cancer cells. And Fox Chase offers several clinical trials and novel treatments for patients with head and neck cancer.
I want to stress that there are no one-size-fits-all approaches to treating cancers of the head and neck. At Fox Chase, we consider each patient’s unique health needs before deciding on a treatment plan.
During and after treatment, we also offer programs and services to help you have the best possible quality of life. These include:
Tips for prevention
You may not be able to prevent head and neck cancer completely. But there are several things you can do to lower your risk. Here’s what I tell my patients:
- Quit using tobacco
- Reduce your alcohol use, or give it up completely
- Get the HPV vaccine if you’re eligible for it
- Use sunscreen and protective clothing when you’re outside
And if you’ve already had head and neck cancer treatment, these tips may help keep it from returning.
Find the expert care you need
If you are worried about a persistent sore throat, hoarseness, or other symptoms, don’t wait. Contact Fox Chase today to make an appointment with a specialist. Call 888-369-2427 or request an appointment online. We’re here for you.
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